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The Great David Rocastle, What being 'homegrown' really means! ……..

Born in Lewisham back in 1967, Rocky suffered the loss of his father when he was just 5 years old.

He left school in 1983 and the summer of the same year he joined Arsenal Football Club as an apprentice spending two years in the youth team. Just prior to the beginning of 1985/86 season Rocky signed his first professional contract, with us of course!

Rocky struggled to begin with and in training the players couldn’t understand why this kid with so much talent would be running around, dribbling the ball with his head down, then it clicked.

Martin Keown said this:

They couldn’t work out why Rocastle was running around dribbling with his head down. So they took him to the halfway line and said: Can you see the goal?

He couldn’t so the club sorted this out for him and a pair of contact lenses solved the problem. He didn’t look back from that day!

David Rocastle’s debut was against Newcastle and he would go on to play another twenty-five matches that season and despite the change in manager from Howe to Graham, Rocky remained a regular in the side.

In 1987, just prior to him turning twenty, Rocky helped Arsenal to victory over Liverpool in the League Cup but sadly he was also part of a losing side in the same final the following year, Arsenal let a 2-0 lead slip away against Luton.

In 1989 his first League winners medal came after the dramatic events at Anfield, the second came in 1991, albeit a knee injury meant Rocky would only make eighteen appearances that season, a season in which Arsenal lost only once in the league. The following season though was totally the opposite, Rocky missed only three out of forty two matches played, scoring four goals.

In 1992, Rocky was sold to Leeds United for £2 Million and on finding out that he was to leave the club he did something I bet not one player in this current squad would do.

He cried, he cried his heart out knowing that he would no longer be part of the club he loved and cared for so much! He didn’t want to leave Arsenal Football Club, not one bit!

Rocky would go onto play for other clubs too but injury forced him to retire in 1999.

Then, in February 2001 all Arsenal fans were horrified to hear that David Rocastle was ill, very ill. He was suffering from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, an aggressive form of cancer which attacks the immune system. He underwent a course of chemotherapy and was positive about a recovery.

Ten years ago today, Arsenal Fans hearts were broken when the news broke that David ‘Rocky’ Rocastle had lost his short battle with this evil disease and had passed away in the early hours.

He was just 33 years old and left behind his wife Janet, his son Ryan and daughters Melissa and the youngest Monique, who was just five years old – the same age as Rocky when he lost his Dad.

The world had lost a good man, a decent man, an honest family man and the world of football had lost a truly great footballing man.

He gave his short life to football and to his family, for nine of those years he gave everything football to Arsenal.

For nine years he lived, breathed and walked tall for the club he loved, the club that was in every bone of his small 5′ 9″ frame. What he lacked in height though he made up for in guts, committment and attitude, attitude and desire to one thing and that was to wear his club shirt with pride and lay his body on the line for the club and players around him.

Remember the ‘Winterburn – McClair’ Mass Brawl in 1990 at Old Trafford : Rocky said this:

“It was our team mate, our blood brother, in trouble. They were kicking Nigel like a nightclub brawl. That’s what got us upset. We went in there and we stuck up for each other. At Arsenal we never ever started any brawls – we just finished them”

If only some of our players today had half of what Rocky had……

He was Mr Arsenal for every year he graced the football pitch wearing the colours of his beloved team.

He didn’t need to be told how to play, he didn’t need to be told to have faith, he certainly didn’t need to taught to have belief or commitment, it all came naturally to him, it came from within because he was a true winner, he had something that cannot be taught.

Big Tony Adams always used to repeat the words of Rocky to the Arsenal players new to the club:

The late great David Rocastle always used to say :

Always remember who you are,what you are and Who you represent!

The only way to leave todays post is with a few tributes…..

Thank you to those who have over the years compiled the tributes for us Arsenal fans to view and thank you for letting us share them today, the day we remember and celebrate the life of a truly outstanding man and footballer.

Rest in Peace David ‘Rocky’ Rocastle, the true Arsenal fan will never forget you……..

Thursday, March 31 marks the 10th anniversary of David Rocastle’s tragic death.

‘Rocky’ was just 33 when he lost his battle with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a form of cancer, on the morning of a North London derby win over Tottenham.

HEROES TOGETHER
‘Rocky’ was immortalised during the 2009/10 campaign when he was one of the 32 Arsenal greats depicted on the outside walls of Emirates Stadium. Watch this special feature for great action and key facts about Rocastle plus the thoughts of his former team-mates Kenny Sansom, Perry Groves, Nigel Winterburn, Steve Bould and Martin Hayes.

GUNNERS’ GREATEST GOALS
‘Rocky’ scored 34 goals in his 277 games for Arsenal – many of them memorable. There was the venomous shot at Anfield in the League Cup in 1988 and a solo effort against Middlesbrough the same season. But it was his midfield trickery and deft chip at Manchester United in 1991 that earned him a place in the Gunners’ Greatest Goals countdown.

ROCKY STUNS SPURS IN LEAGUE CUP
The talent and tenacity of ‘Rocky’ made him an instant fans’ favourite at Highbury after he broke into the side under George Graham, and this League Cup winner at White Hart Lane earned him ‘hero’ status. Arsenal trailed the Semi-Final replay but Ian Allinson equalised and Rocastle stabbed in a late, late winner to take the Gunners to Wembley.

ARSENAL SNATCH TITLE AT ANFIELD
Rocastle was not on the scoresheet at Anfield in 1989 but he was a vital cog in George Graham’s side that season and was in the thick of the celebrations after helping to bring the title to Highbury for the first time in 18 years. Click on the link to the right to re-live the finest moment in Rocastle’s Arsenal career – a night no Gooner will ever forget.

Rocastle

March 31, 2011 at 10:14am

Rico, superb mate. As always.

I watch these YouTube clips Of Rocky quite often. I remember first going to highbury with my dad, brother and uncle and clearly remember the buzz that guy sent around the stadium when he got the ball. Few players can do that at that age. And when I watch these clips and I still get that buzz. It’s like a ravers flashback when they hear a certain tune from the 90’s (not me….obviously….ahem!) That fuzzy feeling inside.
TA6, CN10, PM10, DB10, TH14…..sorry guys but DR7 will always hold a special place.

W.A.T.H

March 31, 2011 at 10:22am

Rocastle, Spot on mate, he gave the whole ground a buzz and you knew what it meant to him to pull on The Arsenal shirt….! It showed in the way he played and the mentality he had that he wanted to win, the will to win the passion and the commitment and we all saw that as well as being blessed with such skills…!. If only we had a few more today who showed such love for the club and gave it all on a match day…!.

Rocastle

March 31, 2011 at 10:24am

My dad knew the Adidas Market exec at the time who was working closely with the club, and he asked him why he was sold. He said that GG knew his knee was shot to bits and would only play 25% of two or three seasons before he retires. It was the beginning of football turning into business. We have to remember that AW did the same with Paul Merson. He was found by fans outside the east stand in tears and taken into the gunners bar for a drink (orange juice?!)

W.A.T.H

March 31, 2011 at 10:25am

KT, watch these clips go onto u-tube and go watch a few of the Rocky tributes and clips and you will see what he means to all of us who can rememeber, you will also see what it mean’t to him to play for Arsenal. This lot now couldn’t tie his boot laces…!

rico

rico

March 31, 2011 at 10:30am

I didn’t know that Rocastle, but for the sake of a few pounds, why not let a player see his playing days out with the club he gave everything for – i guess you are right about football turning into a business..

I guess there is no room for sentiment in the game, however, i can understand the ruthlessness to a degree but as with Merse, with afc under wenger, he moves on good players and replaces them with shoddy rubbish… Thats what is wrong, Merse still had a couple of seasons in him…..

W.A.T.H

March 31, 2011 at 10:38am

You only have to look at Rocky on the pitch and his expressions to show what it mean’t… always encouraging and always clenching his fist making sure teammates didn’t slack off…! he’d run through a brick was in his Arsenal shirt, noone would do that today, not one..! not even Jack…!. The more you remember Rocky and those players we had the more I detest the new age footballer and what they have become. . . . .

rico

W.A.T.H

March 31, 2011 at 10:43am

I knew you’d appreciaye that Rico………..
The man was just Arsenal through and through, the sad thing is all these jcl’s will probably ask who is David Rocastle….? The club needs to make sure they all know exactly who he was…..!.

rico

Jaygooner

March 31, 2011 at 10:49am

I was privileged enough to be at Highbury the day he made his debut against Newcastle. It says something about a man that even ten years on, fans who never even saw him play, honour his memory. Leeds Chelsea Man City Norwich fans are all marking the day. Astonishing that a humble, mild mannered player has had this affect. OOOOOH ROCKY ROCKY, ROCKY ROCKY ROCKY ROCASTLE!

rico

W.A.T.H

March 31, 2011 at 10:51am

Nope not listened to the wenger comments Rico, Spot on Will, that was 20yrs before Ronaldo even knew how to dribble on his bib let alone do a step over…!.
Skill speed power and a fierce competitor…. He had it all.

rico

rico

K-TR7

March 31, 2011 at 11:31am

There is a reason why i don’t like these ‘Brazilian wonderkids’.yesterday Neymar said chelsea was his dream club.today he has said he’ll not leave his Brazilian club Santos as his true happiness lies there.

Joaquim Moreira

March 31, 2011 at 11:45am

Kt: Louis walked Neymat trying to convince to go to Chelsea … nothing more. Nowadays, Bresilian clubs can afford to pay more, the league is like in Europe (not like before – “Campeonato Estadual” (Campeonato do Rio de Janeiro, S. Paulo, Minas Gerais, etc)) and therefore has become not so interesting the coming of good players to Europe. Brasil grew economically in last 10 years in contrast to Europe …

Adam

rico

March 31, 2011 at 1:07pm

Hi oliver

Adam, i am unsure what the 2011 ruling is re the permit, i think he could join on a ‘special talent’ vias only as he he is yet to play for his country and he’s outside europe, i am only guessing that though…

W.A.T.H

March 31, 2011 at 1:34pm

Adam, I understood that once you had tried for a special talents visa and failed you had to wait a yr to re-apply…. def not 100% certain on that at all though, also if he does play for Japan that changes things as well.

Lee

W.A.T.H

March 31, 2011 at 2:02pm

Will, totally agree Jack isn’t a fan BUT he’ll been taught the right way hence he has the fight and the fire in his belly to win. Rocky was Arsenal thats what made him that bit more special, he was one of us , our age it was like watching your mate playing for our team there was the connection. He loved the club and the shirt like we did and it showed. Now all they love is the wage packet…! Totally agree Lee, how indeed did crab boy get a work permit is a mystery, maybe was a manc giving it out and realised how crap he was and wanted to stitch us up..?

K-TR7

oliver

March 31, 2011 at 4:45pm

thanks rico…agag, been while since we have had a holiday. we are discussing visiting baguio this summer, but time off work will be an problem for my wife and i…not to mention heavy rains in the cordilleras…our last visit there overlapped july/august…it rained, and rained, and rained, and…

i am trying to talk her into visiting montreal instead, but that looks unlikely to say the least.

agirlagunner

rico

K-TR7

March 31, 2011 at 5:52pm

Police have foiled a bomb threat that was targetting the Signal Iduna park home of current Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund.it is understood the terrorists were targetting the weekend game between the leaders and 3rd placed Hannover.the game was totally sold out in excess of 80,000.Borussia Dortmund have had the highest average attendance in Europe in excess of 78000.